


Star Crossed Lovers

by Cherie_Berrie



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Foreplay, Fucking, Idiots in Love, Long Shot, Love Confessions, OC is to push plot, One Shot, References to Canon, Time Skips, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:34:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22388764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherie_Berrie/pseuds/Cherie_Berrie
Summary: As Aloy and Erend go their separate ways after filming Horizon : Zero Dawn, Aloy finds her life empty as time just passes by. After 6 years, they reconnect over a horrible situation with her current co-star, but with her feelings so raw and worn, she's ready to tell the truth and feel something healthy again.Or: The Hollywood AU no one asked forThere is NOT rape. It ALMOST happened, but everyone that was fucked in this fic did so with consent. OC is just a plot filler in the beginning.
Relationships: Aloy/Erend (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 24





	Star Crossed Lovers

It had been 6 years since they had filmed together. She could barely recognize the echo of herself in that movie, which felt like a lifetime ago. It had really kicked off both of their careers, herself and Erend, and she found herself in her hotel watching it with extreme scrutiny, especially towards him. Had his eyes really been that soft, or was that CG? Why was he smirking there - that was an extremely hard stunt for her to pull off in just two takes. She remembers because she had fallen and dislocated her shoulder in the first take. More than once the camera had caught him staring at her, had that been scripted? If so it was excellent acting on his part; he looked at her in awe. But she wasn’t sure if he had been looking at her character, or her. 

The cast party from the lobby echoed up to her room despite the fact that it was 3 AM. LA didn’t care about time. It didn’t care about much, actually. Los Angeles would chew you up and spit you out like stale gum. She hadn’t succumbed yet, but there was plenty of time. She looked back to the screen, seeing her 19 year old self standing over a mesa somewhere in Utah with that heavy bow above her head, remembering how her arms hurt the entire time under the 10 pound thing, which was heavy for a compound bow, and even heavier when you lugged it around all day on set. She also had more laughs on that set with her cast than any other since. It was like the golden years; She hadn’t even realized how good she had it.

Aloy hugged her pillow and looked out to the city, the buildings lit up with red lights flashing in an endless skyscape of red dots. She remembered how she’d held him like this in ‘fallen’ scenes, trying to fuse her body to his. But he was harder, more muscular... Not a down pillow. But she would have loved to use him as one. Even now. God, she wished she could stop thinking of him. He hadn’t even been in contact with her since then. He was busy. They both were. She had done two more films immediately after theirs, and now she was about to be working on a larger trilogy with too many big names. He had found instant success both in front and behind the camera, but he was currently working on a streaming series, well into filming season three by now. 

A sudden banging on her door made her sigh and toss the pillow onto the bed behind her. She went to the door, not caring she was just in her usual spring kimono she got from a fan in Japan on a photo shoot. She adored the pastel green silk and the pink flowers and the custom hem up to her mid thigh. It was her favorite thing she had gotten, and was better than anything she could think to buy herself. She opened her door and there was her current partner in crime, black bow tie undone, shirt half tucked out of his slacks, and a smug grin on his face.

“There you are, Aloy!” He laughed and she just rolled his eyes. There had always been rumors that premieres went to his head, but this was ridiculous. His voice was a little too loud and he held up a bottle of champagne with one hand, trying to fix his dark blonde hair with the other. 

“Ryan Hunt, what a surprise.” She leaned on her door frame and crossed her arms. “While I appreciate the visit, I’m actually in the middle of a movie.” She smiled coolly, not lying at all. He just continued to stand there, smiling at her. She squared herself. “I’m not sure what you _think_ is gonna happen here, but it’s not.”

“I’m just bringing Hollywood’s biggest star a very deserved drink!” He tilted the bottle and looked to it. “It’s a 1964.” He laughed again and handed it to her. “I don’t even think my parents were born yet, let alone yours.”

She looked to the bottle in her hand, appreciating the actual bottle. One of her little quirks no one knew about. She had a whole stock of unique bottles in Calabasas, from tiny sake bottles to huge milk stout barrels. The glass had a slight gold tint and a double helix pattern turning around and under the label. She knew it would be another one for the vault once it was drained and rinsed, but it was warm. It had probably been in his hand since the screening ended. 

She looked back to her co-star with a small smile. She had intended to say thank you, but his eyes had dropped down to her legs.

“That little robe is so short. Do you always dress like this off set?” He looked back up to her and took a step inwards toward her room.

“Ah, nope!” She said and crossed her forearms over each other, giving him a small shove. “I said it’s not gonna happen Ryan.”

“Aloy, do you have any idea how hard it was to get that? Come on, let’s celebrate!” He smiled and tried to push himself in this time making his way around her, and his hands coming to rest wrap tightly around her waist. He dragged her a few feet in and she finally stuck her heel in the carpet to stop him. He just looked to her and gripped her harder.

“We’re finally done. Now you can run off to the other studio and be part of a bigger world.” He grinned as he spoke, his lips right next to her ear. She twisted in his grip and got out of it, thankfully. She stood by the door and gave him the kind of glare that could burn someone to the ground. 

“Yeah, we’re finally done.” She turned and padded down the hall in just her robe, the bottle in her hand. She turned the corner and pounded on another door frantically. A man about 7 years her senior opened the door after just a few seconds. She met his eyes and pushed herself in, slamming the door shut and locking it, letting her guard down and breathing heavy.

“Aloy? You okay?” He asked. She was shaking and laid her head against the door.

“Teb… can you please call Nil for me?” She turned to him, her back against the door now. “I need to get out of here and I can’t exactly go back to my room to get my phone.”

He narrowed his eyes and looked down to the bottle in her hand.

“It was Hunt wasn’t it? That bastard…” He shook his head and grabbed his cell out of his pocket. “I knew his gentlemanly attitude was limited, but Christ! I might have to kill him. Or at the very least shave his head.” He dialed her assistant and huffed pacing as he waited for him to pick up. 

“Mr. Drake, it’s Teb. Miss Andel needs a quiet but urgent extraction,” he paused to look back to her. “And some street clothes.” He paused and nodded to the response. “1964. Blue Bead.” He paused for another moment and hung up, sliding the phone back into his pocket. “He’s on his way.”

“What’s 1964?”

“My room number, didn’t you see it coming in?”

She laughed darkly and handed him the bottle. It took him a moment until he saw the year.

“Fucking ironic.” She said and crossed her arms. “I knew this was coming. I knew it!” She hissed through her teeth. “He was too nice. It didn’t mesh with the weird feeling I got around him.”

“Like you were thankful there were other people around?” He asked with a raised brow and she nodded, grabbing the bottle back from him. 

“Glad you have good sense. He’s nothing short of a monster, but with money like that you can pay people to look the other way.” He sighed and came up to her, giving her a sheltering hug. “I’m so sorry Aloy.”

“No, it’s okay.” She gripped him despite her words. “I got away from him. He didn’t hurt me.”

Teb chuckled a bit. “I don’t think he could if he wanted to. He’s had a double to the hard shit for him for the last decade, so I’m pretty sure you could kick his ass.”

She smiled and dropped her arms, letting him lean back and study her face. Her mascara was blurred, foundation cracked, and lips flaking. It was quiet for a while before Teb spoke again. “Men are scum.”

Aloy threw her head back in a loud laugh, tossing around his brown hair with her hand. “Yet here one is, helping me out.”

“Don’t make me say ‘not all men’, that’s such a shitty expression.” He smiled to her and she nodded, laughing again.

“He’s what, almost twice your age?” Teb mused. “I mean, yeah he’s hot. He’s got that ‘young-but-experienced-daddy’ vibe, but he’s trash. And it just gets worse as time goes by.”

“I’m glad I have you then.” She smiled and he nodded.

“You’re _lucky_ you’ve got me.” He paused and crossed his arms, Aloy realizing he was just in sleep pants and a tank top, his lean muscles running up his arms and over his chest. “Where would you go if I had gone down to the party?”

“I dunno, the roof? The staircase?” She huffed and let her head fall against the door with a loud thud. “I didn’t think about it, I just ran. You never attend the after-party to _anything_ and I haven’t been going lately either. I didn’t doubt for a minute you’d be up here, probably organizing the last of the makeup you pocketed from the set.”

“Better than down there. I can’t stand being nice all the time.” 

She laughed at his words and dropped her head a bit, letting her hair fall around her. 

“I know. It sucks. If you’re too nice, you’re a ditz. Too blunt and you’re ‘that bitch’ no one wants to work with.” She sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing them with her hand. He shook his head with a smile and patted her arm.

“Come on, let me fix that mane of yours so you can get out of here quicker.” She nodded and came over to the couch with him, sitting with her back to him. His fingers worked quickly and french braided her hair, wrapping it around her head like a crown. When it was all done, he secured the end with a tie and pinned it in place with a few clips.

“Well, not my best work, but better than nothing.” He said and she stood, looking at herself in the mirror on the vanity. She smiled and sat on the little stool that was there, grabbing a makeup wipe to scrub her face.

“Hey, do you remember Erend?” She tried so hard to sound nonchalant, her voice control coming in use. He looked at her in the mirror but she didn’t stop, grabbing another wipe to swipe across her lips.

“Erend, as in Erend Schmidt? That cocky little 24 year old from Horizon?” She bit her lip in the mirror and nodded.

“Yeah, him. But you know he’s not 24 anymore.” She said with a small laugh in her throat. “I was actually watching Zero Dawn in my room before Ryan came barging in.

“Why?” Teb laughed and leaned on the edge of his couch. “Trying to unlearn your old habits?”

“No,” she said softly, pulling the fake lashes off and cleaning the remaining glue. “I just haven’t seen him in a while.” She paused. “Well, not face to face. I just wonder how he’s doing.” She threw everything in the trash and turned to him. There was a telling look on his face, but he didn’t say anything to betray it at first.

“I know he’s got a place up in Redding, but I think he’s staying in Anaheim, staying close to set.”

She nodded and bit her lip, ler leg bouncing. There was a very stiff silence between them and he finally couldn’t bear it.

“Oh my god, you’re gonna go see him aren’t you?” Teb said, the widest grin on his face. She was already shaking her head.

“No! It’s not like that…” She lied to herself. She knew _where_ he was, but not how he was actually doing. “There is just a lot on my mind and I turned on the TV and there it was! Zero Dawn, only 20 minutes left.” She looked from him to the window, her face growing warm. “And there were some things I noticed that I hadn’t before. I mean, I don’t think I've even watched it since the premiere.”

“What kind of ‘things’, Aloy?” He asked, serious but always up for gossip hour.

“Just…” she sighed and threw up her hands. “There were little things that could _not_ have been scripted. I saw the way he was looking at me in that final fight scene. I know he was supposed to look at me a certain way… but it seemed so genuine when I saw it just now. Like for a moment, he didn’t know how to separate me from who I was playing.”

“Oh, that.” She looked up at him and he held his chin in his hand. “Yeah, he had a huge crush on you.”

“ _What?!_ ” She squeaked and gripped her leg. Teb just laughed.

“Oh yeah, we knew about… I think it was like, the 5th day of shooting? The scene where you go to rescue his sister, but that one guy had a map in blood?” He tried to jog her memory, knowing she often shot scenes out of order, especially for that movie. She nodded. “Yeah,” he continued. “He couldn’t stop staring at you. It got to a point where the camera guys actually had to cut away either too quick or just not pan over to him if you were in the moment.”

She groaned and held her head on her hands, her ears growing red. “You are the worst confidant.”

“You never asked!” Teb laughed and leaned back, letting his hands rest in his lap. Before she could say anything else, she heard someone yelling down the hall. They were both still until a knock came at his door. He jumped up and looked out the peephole.

“Mr. Drake?”

“Got the blue beads you asked for.”

Teb quickly unlocked the door and let him in, locking it behind him. Aloy smiled and all but ran to him, giving the bronzed man a tight hug.

“Okay, stop.” He said, his low voice stern but held a humor she was very familiar with. She let go and looked down to the bag in his hand as he held it out to her. “Get changed, your phone is at the bottom.” 

“I take it you met Ryan?” She asked and grabbed her phone first, making sure she hadn’t missed any calls or texts. 

“I did. And I would love for my knife to meet him too.” He smiled with the glint of an unfulfilled fantasy on his mind. She scoffed and took the bag.

“I always ask myself why I hired you when you say stuff like that Nil.” She let the bag hang on her finger for a moment, knowing he always had an entertaining response.

“Because you know I’ll do it if you’re in danger. It’s one of the many things I’m allowed to do by law.” He smiled again and she rolled her eyes, heading to the bathroom to change. It didn’t take her long, coming out in just a few minutes and putting her kimono in the bag.

“Well? Good enough to hide?” She asked Teb. He looked her over. Simple sneakers, ancient dark-wash ripped jeans she _insisted_ on keeping, am old t-shirt covered by a black zip hoodie and her hair stuffed into an over-sized black beanie.

“Yeah, just missing these.” He said and went over to his makeup counter, handing her his pitch black aviators. She took them with a small smile and slipped them on, feeling bad that her’s were usually cheap Ray Bans. 

“I’ll buy you more, I promise.” She blew him a kiss and he laughed, unlocking the door.

“Those _exact_ LV’s or don’t bother.” He said and she snorted, waving him goodbye as Nil nodded that the coast was clear. “Text me.” Teb called after them, Nil leading her to a maintenance stairwell. 

They ran down a few flights and then he opened a door that went deeper into the housekeeper's and maintenance area. She followed without question, walking briskly passed workers and muttering apologies as they went, eventually getting into an old cage elevator. She slung the backpack on and shoved her hands in her pockets, Nil slipping on his dark glasses and texting someone on his phone without looking away from the doors. Probably notifying her producer of the extraction. When the elevator stopped he reached into his blazer and grabbed the car keys. They shifted passed more workers and then out a door to an empty parking garage, minus their black Bugatti. She hopped in shotgun and Nil started the engine, peeling out of the concrete high-rise before she could even buckle up. Nil reached the street and didn’t bother stopping, swerving into the intersection and taking off towards the freeway while the traffic heading in the opposite way was standstill.

“What the hell? This traffic is insane, it’s just a fucking party.” She said and looked at the traffic jam behind them.

“Yeah and it was a bitch to get in, so getting out wasn’t that bad.” He saw her shake her head, his smirk returning. “Home?”

“No. Can you drop me off in Anaheim? 372 South Paseo de Luna.” She said softly and his smile was gone. The air hung quietly as a question that he wouldn’t ask. She lowered her glasses and looked to him over the rims. “Checking on a friend.”

“After I just escorted you out of a hotel, which has back escape routes that you pay me to know just in case something happens. A residence won’t give me the same stealth, Aloy.” He said, a bit judgey. 

“I should be fine. I can handle myself if needed.” She sighed and let her head rest back.

“Oh, I know that. You could even give me a run for my money. Doesn’t mean I don’t worry.”

“Aw, is Nil Drake going soft?” She teased and he chuckled.

“Before _you_ I bounced from job to job. You’re the first person to give me an actual income in over 17 years, so yes. I am a bit soft.” He paused and looked to her over his shoulder. “I would prefer my paycheck continues.”

She threw her hand up. “And here I thought you actually cared about me for a second.” She laughed and he had a genuine smile, looking back out to the road as he sped and weaved through the other cars. 

She dug into her pocket and scrolled through her contacts. Aloy sent Teb a quick text, saying they got away. He responded quickly, both of them saying their goodnights. She let out a long breath before sending _him_ a text.

_Hey - it’s freckle face. This still your number?_

The seconds dragged into minutes and finally she got a read receipt. She waited another 4 minutes before those ominous three dots appeared. More minutes passed and she finally got a reply.

_Hey! Yeah, still hammerhead. I haven’t heard from you in… years. How have you been?_

She bit her lip. Too many emotions to process were starting to bubble up… 

_That’s a complicated question. Got time to talk about it?_

She hit send as the car swerved right, getting into lighter traffic and more residential areas. She looked up and saw a 24 hour store.

“Wait in that lot after you drop me off, please. I’d like you near. I’ll text you with my plans.”

“Your ‘plans’?” He asked and she blushed.

“You know what I mean!” She retorted and he just laughed. She huffed and dug in the glove box, tossing a card onto the dashboard. “Scratch that. Here! Go home, fill up the cars, and have a good time. It’s my black card so, my treat.” Her phone vibrated and she looked down.

_I’ve always got a minute or two for you. I’m not doing anything important anyway._

She smirked and Nil slowed the car. “I need to fill up anyway. Especially if we need another quick getaway.” Nil said quietly, not quiet to himself, but still aloud. She just nodded absently and looked out to the houses on Paseo de Luna.

_Can we talk instead? Too long to text._

_Of course. Call me._

The car stopped and she bit down on her lip even harder.

_Look outside._

She looked to his house and saw the blinds crack open, shaking when they were let go, her completely black car, lights off, sitting patiently in the street.

_Wtf?! Okay, lots of questions but come on in. Door is open._

She smiled and hopped out of the car, making sure to close the door quietly. She jogged across the lawn and up to his door, her heart threatening to fly away at any moment. She turned the knob and it was open, like he had said. She let out a breath and dove in, swinging around the door and closing it quickly, locking any and all locks he had. The handle, deadbolt, the chain and even pressed the lock button on the security system before breathing, letting her head rest on the door.

She felt eyes on her, she knew he was right there in the same room, but she was scared. The text he sent… that one line held a lot of emotions and a few connotations, and she was pretty sure she wasn’t over analyzing it. She heard him shift on what sounded like a clothed chair or couch. She took a deep, slow breath in and raised her head, lifting her sunglasses to her forehead and turning. She saw him seated on a huge couch, jeans and Foo Fighters t-shirt from the day still on, socks and shoes abandoned at the door… and phone in hand. She smiled meekly.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” He smiled and put his phone on the coffee table. He went to stand and she held out a hand.

“It’s cool, stay comfortable. I’m the one imposing.” She said and he froze for a moment before a warm smile came over him. _That same look he had been caught giving her years ago. ON FILM._

“Well, then at least make yourself comfortable.” He motioned to her and she looked down to hide her smile. Aloy leaned against the wall and slipped her shoes and socks off, stuffing the glasses in her bag and leaving it by the jackets he had handing up. She unzipped her hoodie and stuffed the beanie in one of the arms, hanging it on an empty hook before looking back over to him.

“You drove all the way over here, are you gonna sit?” He laughed and she felt her stomach pull tight, coming to sit on the couch with him, her legs under her. She leaned up a bit and looked out the window, only to see her car had disappeared. She let out a breath, settling back down into the couch, which was way more comfortable than the one she had. She looked to him and his hair was so different. He had kept the sides shaved into a fade and the top grown out, a thick high and tight rather than a mohawk. His facial hair was down to a thick goatee, his cheeks bare. He looked younger than the day they met, which was impossible. Still had earrings though, and honestly they looked good on him.

“So, you said you had a lot of questions?” She smirked and waited for the onslaught.

“Um, yeah!” He turned in his seat to face her, bringing a knee up to lay his bent leg on the cushion. “First off, you had a huge premiere tonight! Why the hell are you out here with _me_ instead of at a party for all the hard work you’ve done? I’ve seen the trailer, it looks amazing and I can’t wait to see you kick some ass again!”

She was slow to answer, chewing on it for a moment. 

“That’s a long question and has an even longer answer, Erend.” She said his name softly and let her hands relax in her lap, leaning against the arm on the couch with her back and her smirk replaced with resting frown. “To make a long story short, I don’t go to wrap parties anymore.” She waited and looked up to him. His eyes were looking her over, but not in a way that made her feel fearful, just assessing her. 

“You’re in street clothes and your hair is completely unrecognizable. You’re running.” He said as he looked her over, connecting dots out loud to himself. She nodded, confirming his suspicions. “Aloy,” he hesitated, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. “Can I have the long story?”

Oh, the way he said her name... like it was something to guard or something precious. Something sweet on his lips. She looked towards the closed window to hide her blush and brought her arm up, letting her chin rest on her fist, the low back of the couch supporting her elbow.

“Mr. Ryan Hunt got drunk and came up to my room. He tried to persuade me with a bottle of champagne.” She tugged on the hem of her shirt with her free hand, playing with it. “I said no but he shoved himself into my room anyway. We only grappled for a few seconds, if you can call it that, before I ran out to my friend’s room down the hall. I wasn’t exactly dressed to leave out the front door.” She steadied her breathing, her brain finally catching up with what almost happened. “He - my friend - called my bodyguard and got me discrete clothing. We left through the worker’s entrance and parking garage.” She paused and looked over to him finally. His jaw was loose, eyes wide in shock, though there was a drop of something else she couldn’t name. She continued. “I was gonna have him drive me home… but I didn’t really want to be alone. All my friends are back at the hotel and I wanted to get as far from that place as I could, but I also needed to talk to someone.” She let her arm come back down to her lap. “Does that make sense at all? Is it okay that I’m here?”

“Wh-What kind of question is that-of course! You’re safe here, I promise!” He was red in the face and his fist clenched. “I swear to god the next time I see that prick I’m gonna fucking knock him out.” His words were coming out all at once and she took one of her hands and put it on his fist. He immediately unclenched his hand and felt her trembling. His heart dropped and he reached over to a recliner, grabbing what had to have been a king size black sherpa, and covered her. It swallowed her in a wonderful warmth and weight. She wasn’t cold, but they both knew why she was shaking. This was his equivalent of a shock blanket for her.

“I’m so sorry that happened.” He looked her over again, her eyes looking more tired than anything. “Did… did he hurt you? Or touch you? Do you need me to call the cops? Or a lawyer?” She was shaking her head half way through his offer and bundled herself deeper.

“No, no he didn’t hurt me, just grabbed my waist and freaked me out. I just needed to get out of there.” She took a breath and shivered, and feeling her eyes twinge. “He’s got the reputation of doing this. I should have been prepared, it was always weird on set with him-”

“No. Stop.” Her eyes were wide now, looking at him a bit flared. “You aren’t gonna do this. You are _not_ to blame, you did nothing wrong. How can you prepare for that?“ Erend said so pointedly but softly, comforting her. He leaned back over to the table and opened up his phone. He wasn’t on it long, but when he was done he gave himself a nod and locked it, putting back.

“What was that?” She asked, a brow raised.

“Oh, just calling him out on his shit.” She looked to the phone and back at him, wondering if Erend had Hunt’s number. “On twitter, of course.”

She scoffed and smiled. “Don’t sink your career for my bad night.”

“Aloy,” He said and scooted closer to her, their knees touching through the blanket. He reached for her hand, letting him place it in her open palm. “I know you’re incredibly strong. I’ve been on the receiving end of a hit from you and that was a long time ago.”

“Not that long.”

“It doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is that, while I’m sure you could have beat him within an inch of his life, you came here because you said you didn’t want to be alone. This was more than a bad night, Freckles.”

She blushed at her old nickname and nodded, closing her eyes. She heard him sigh, his warm hand so steady but careful with hers, the grip practically nonexistent. 

He took a moment to try and choose his words carefully. “I know we haven’t talked in years or even seen each other, so I don’t know how to make you feel completely safe-”

“I’m safe with you.” She said without thinking but nodded to herself, her eyes still closed. The tears that were starting to bubble at the corner of her eyes were unmistakable. “It’s so dumb and crazy and unreasonable… but… If we can pick up where we were back then... when we were shooting Horizon-” The streams started rolling on her cheeks and she choked down a sob, trying to finish her stupid sentence. Erend didn’t care, he got the message. He pulled her into him and let her head fall onto his chest, his arms coming around her like a shield. 

She couldn’t hold back anymore, letting the dam burst and fisting his shirt in one hand while the other went around his middle to pull herself closer. She knew it was loud and ugly and she didn’t care. She was so angry and scared and disgusted that it was overwhelming. That strength that he had, that she had thought of earlier, was here for her. To be a wall, a fortress even, for her to hide in. 

He rubbed circles on her back and leaned back slowly until she was laying at his side, holding her as long as she needed it. After about an hour of submerging and reemerging into his chest and sobs, she was finally quiet. He rubbed her back a little more and whispered to her.

“Let go. I’ll stay here.”

She looked up to him, confused.

“What?” Her voice croaked out.

“You shouldn’t be going home if you don’t want to be alone, and no one will ever guess you’re here.” He said slowly, letting her brain clear the fog. “I will sleep here, and you can take my bed.”

She sniffed and laughed. “You have all this money and -” She sniffed, laughing at the same time. “And you’ve got one bedroom and still -” she sniffed again. “Still wear old band shirts?” 

He smiled and let out just the smallest laugh.

“Yeah, I do. I like simple.” He slid from under her and went to the kitchen, grabbing her a glass of ice water. She took it after sitting up, giving him a watery smile. Aloy drank the whole glass at once, setting it down on an old coaster, the ice clicking in the silence.

“Better?” He asked.

She nodded and let the blanket fall to her waist. “A bit.” She took a few deep breaths and nodded again. “I think crying it out was better, though.”

“Not good to hold everything in. ‘Specially not stuff like that.” He smiled down at her. “Now, my shirt is soaked and I can’t imagine how tired you are. My bedroom is that way.” He pointed to a door directly connected to the living room. “The bathroom is in there too. Please, get off my couch and get some rest.” He smiled, trying not to laugh.

She laughed though, a little hysterical still. “Big bully.” She stood and let the blanket rest on the couch. He nodded and grabbed a pillow from the recliner, rubbing a hand through his hair before deciding to take off the wet shirt sooner rather than later. He tossed it into a corner to pick up tomorrow. 

“You can rifle through my closet for sleep clothes. Like a t-shirt and some some gym shorts or whatever. I’d rather you be cozy than sleep in jeans.” He said as he sat on the couch, grabbing at the blanket. He looked up to her, seeing her gears turning. “I know this is shitty timing, but I’m glad you’re here. I missed you.”

She stopped thinking and turned to him, her brows knitting together, her cheeks a bit pink when she saw his bare torso.

“Then why didn’t you call me?”

“And say what?” He said through a dark laugh “‘Hey, glad you’re name is known everywhere, what’s up?’”

“Yeah, well, It’d be a start.” She crossed her arms and shifted her weight.

He rolled his eyes. “You had my number too. What would you have said?”

“That I missed you too and that we need to get together and actually go do something. Not that fake line of ‘oh we’ll do something soon’ because that’s a load of shit. Actually make plans. A date, a time, a place.” She smacked her palm with each of those three words but he was smiling from ear to ear. “What?”

“You said you missed me too.” Her mouth was open but quickly snapped shut as her face turned red again, and not from the crying. 

“Yeah,” she said and held herself a little taller. “I did. I wondered how you were doing a lot, but I was scared to reach out.” 

“Why? I’m not gonna bite.”

“Because I’m a chicken Erend Schmidt.” She paused and crossed her arms again. “What’s your excuse?” She turned to him with burning eyes. It was his turn to blush and he sat up straighter, trying not to meet her eyes. 

“You were busy and you seemed happy. I didn’t want to throw a wrench in it.” He shrugged. She groaned.

“Then I wish you had texted me about two days after all of us went our separate ways.” She paused as he looked confused. “I’m miserable. I’ve _been_ miserable since I… since we haven’t seen each other.” She said, her cheeks and neck burning but her voice steady. “Everyone is always too busy to do anything, and when they’re not busy all anyone wants to do is go clubbing and that’s the opposite of my scene. The last time I actually had fun with people was on set - 6 years ago.”

“Then what do you do for fun now?” He wanted to desperately keep her talking. He wanted a lot of things, but he had years of pent up questions. They came first.

“Honesty?” He nodded. She sighed and let her body sink back down next to him, covering her lap with the blanket and avoiding looking at his chest. “Watching movies at home in my nightgown. I like simple things too, but I also hate how quiet simple can be.”

“Me too.” He almost whispered. She turned her head back to him and he continued. “I’m not the best at making new friends, and being a sober actor at 30 is damn near unheard of. Not exactly the life of the party. But,” he paused and smiled. “One of my favorite things to do is drive out of town, outside of Redding where I actually live, and just watch the stars.” 

“That’s the kind of thing I would love to do.” She smiled softly, the picture of the night sky in her mind.

He raised a brow at her.

“Seriously!” Aloy chuckled at his expression. “I’ve only got so much charge in my ‘people battery’ before I have to shrink back into my own trailer. I prefer simple experiences.” She stopped for a moment and looked down at the glass of ice that had melted a bit. “Sometimes it’s just too quiet. My house is too big, my schedule is too full, and my closest friend is my bodyguard.” 

He nodded, completely understanding, minus the bodyguard part. “I know this is going to sound sarcastic, but it’s hard. The money somehow makes it worse.”

“I don’t think it’s the money,” She said, shaking her head. “I think it’s the fame and all the people that come with it.”

“Yeah,” He sighed and nodded. “That sounds about right.”

“So then why are we okay?” She asked quietly, not afraid to meet his eyes anymore. He looked to her and tried to think. 

“Maybe we weren’t built for this kind of life.” He nodded to himself, a small smile crossing his lips. “Maybe we are the sort of people who take the money and run into the wilderness, no one to deal with. Just the trees, the mountains, and the stars.” He smiled wider, his eyes had gone up toward the ceiling. 

“Have you been reading my dream journal? Because that’s exactly what I wish I could do.” She said and he met her eyes again, the two of them sharing a laugh.

“In all seriousness, with the money we have we could disappear off the grid and be happy doing whatever we wanted as unknown citizens.” He let come out. Erend had given this thought… for himself at least.

“I’ll call Nil. Let him know he’s fired so you and I can run away.” She smiled, a little watery.

He paused and looked like he was choking, his face and neck turning pink.

“Oh… I didn’t… I mean, hey if you want to - no, no. I didn’t mean for us to run together. With each other.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“You haven’t changed a bit. You half say things you mean. You try to mesh two opposing ideas into the same sentence or action and it’s a disaster.” She laughed under her breath.

“Wow.” He put a hand to his heart. “You come into my home and wound me like this? Maybe I do need to call the cops.”

She snorted and looked away from him. She sat there lost in thought. How wonderful it would be to run. Empty her bank account and just leave. Give Nil enough to get him through until he was either 50 or he found another job, pay Teb everything she ever owed him, buy herself out of her new trilogy contract, and go. A cabin somewhere in the mountains. A shack in the forest. The most private house in the world, buried deep in the cliffs over the border, overlooking a stormy ocean.

“You still with me?”

“Hmm?” She looked back to him. “Oh, yeah. Just indulging myself in the thought of leaving. Who I would have to pay and where I would go.” She paused and smirked. “Only downside is I wouldn’t have any service.”

He laughed and cracked his knuckles. “We could always write each other letters. I know cursive still. It would look so pretty all smeared in a random blue pen.” 

“Why blue?”

“Because I’m a _disaster_ , you think I own any black pens?”

She gave out a laugh then, one to challenge his own. 

He took a few moments to think about it.

“What would you miss most? If we did leave. If you left.” He corrected himself.

“I have no idea.” She shook her head and bit her lip. “My life has been so… crazy since we’ve last talked.”

“Oh I know. Your face all over the silver screen, your modeling deal in Japan, the earpiece you’re trying to get a patent for.” He nodded once. “You’ve been busy.”

“How... “ She was a little shocked. “How did you know about Japan? Or the Focus?”

“You’ve always been a genius. That Focus thing? I want one.” He grinned. “You’re turning fiction into fact and I want to be first in line.”

“Erend. How do you know about my modeling?” She asked, knowing he had avoided the question. “That was one month of my life and those pictures didn’t leave that island.”

“Oh yes they did. It’s called the internet sweetheart. If it exists, it’s there.”

“Then where were you digging?” She looked at him sharply and then her face turned deep red, but not willing to waiver. “And why?”

“Aloy… I’m not subtle.” He sighed and flopped back so he couldn’t see her. “I had a huge crush on you back then. So when we parted, of course I wanted to see you again.” He put his arm over his eyes. “I just didn’t expect it to be… a uh… a rather _revealing_ photo.”

She gasped and dug for her phone. “That bastard is getting sued in the morning! That was a private shoot! That had nothing to do with my modeling!” She was typing furiously when she looked back up at him, his head lifted to look at her as she stopped, her phone forgotten suddenly.

“Wait. You… you saw my boudoir pictures… Oh god.” She covered her face and wanted to die.

“I wasn’t looking for those, I swear! I just knew you were doing a modeling job and I wanted to see what kind of weird harajuku clothes they bribed you to be in… and one link led to another and then bam! Risque photos everywhere.” He blushed and covered face. “I made sure the link was taken down if it makes you feel any better.”

She let her phone drop to her lap.

“Wait, you got it shut down for me, but didn’t think to call me? Maybe warn me that everyone might see my 20 year old ass on some porn site?” Her eyes were wide, she was embarrassed and impressed at the same time.

“That would have went well!” He barked out a laugh and sat up. “Hey Aloy, saw your nudes. Don’t worry, I threatened the guy’s life to get them taken down. How’s your day?”

She went straight up scarlet and buried her hands in her lap, silent as a winter’s night. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and wanted to rewind this whole evening.

“Well,” she tried to change the conversation. “Just another thing to run away from.” She thought quickly and grasped in her mind for something, anything. “Will you miss Cannes? Your film this year was great.”

“No, I’m not going down that road again - wait. You saw my movie?” She nodded. “You were at Cannes? This year? And I didn’t see you?” She nodded and turned her whole body toward the coffee table.

“I saw _you_.” She said quietly, sounding so small. He was speechless. “Every woman wanted to jump you in that tan blazer with those brown fitted slacks and vest. As if, ‘How dare he dress like that?’, and it was so funny to hear them want you but hate it at the same time.” She grinned and looked back to him, his face and neck flushed. “It was a nice outfit, you looked very handsome. Almost made me want to agree with them.”

“What the _hell_ , Aloy? You could have come said hello!” He was angry now, knowing that she had been _that_ close to him, and she understood. She was teasing him too and that wasn’t helping.

“I wanted to, but I got swamped with shutterbugs. One slightly revealing dress and I’m wanting to run from all the questions and flashes. Not like I had someone at my side to distract me.” She sighed and reached up to unclip her hair. As she undid her hair, Erend put the pieces together.

“The blue dress-that was you!” He pointed at her and she just looked down. “Everyone was freaking out about some ‘goddess in a vision of turquoise’ that I never saw… and that was you!” 

“Oh god, this is somehow worse than the private photos.” She looked to the ceiling. He grabbed his phone and searched ‘Cannes 2019 turquoise dress’ and sure enough, there she was. A million angles and not one of them bad. She had worn a bright silk dress with a deep V and a high slit up the side, the silk folding and flowing on her like the classic white dress Marilyn Monroe was famous for, just longer with a small, sweeping train.

“Holy shit.” He let slip and then covered his mouth. She was glaring at him and he shrugged. “I’m sorry, _you’re_ the one wearing a dress that could kill a man!” He gripped his chest unconsciously. “I think it might, actually.” He said to himself, unable to rip his eyes away from her dress and her flowing hair. The way it hugged her waist, the thin heels that made her legs a mile long, the silk that was so thin it was almost sheer, the dip where her chest was bare, the curve of breasts slipping behind the curtain of fabric - “Hey!”

She had slapped the phone out of his hand. 

“It’s rude to stare.” Was all she could get out, her hair flowing freely around her now.

“Sorry.” He locked the phone and looked up to her. “It really was a beautiful dress.”

“And that suit was made for you, probably literally, but I didn’t call you or text you then either. We’re going around in circles Erend… Are we running away or not?”

“You can’t be serious.”

She sighed and leaned back against the arm of the couch, half inclined.

“I don’t know Erend…” She let her fingers run through her hair. “I’m on the edge of something and I don’t know if it’s good or bad. My career is amazing. I miss you, but you’re right there and it’s not enough to make up for lost time. I was almost ra-” She grit her teeth and stopped briefly. “I’m a little off right now. Nothing is okay but everything is good - it’s nonsense.” He was silent as he thought of something, anything to say.

“Want to look up lewd pictures of me to make it even? I’m sure I’ve been caught more than once at a nude beach.”

She laughed but it was silent, the only evidence was her chest and stomach moving. She stretched out one of her legs passed his hips and lay back more, both of them sharing the couch as a resting place now. She looked back to him and her cheeks were warm. Somehow, she knew things between them would be okay. Better than okay. 

“I was young back then, and I still am, but I want to be honest with you since you’ve been so kind to me.” She said and she had his full attention. Her eyes looked dark in the lighting, but warm somehow. He looked openly at her, ready for anything she would say.

“My emotions were all over the place back then. I wasn’t sure what was real and what was just acting on my part. Now that we’ve been apart for so long, I know. Teb told me tonight that you had a crush on me back then, and I know that I had one on you too. And it runs _so_ much deeper than it used to. Crush is too small of a word...” Her words turned into nothing short of whispers but he didn’t look away. “I didn’t seek you out because I didn’t want all of - this.” She motioned to the two of them. “I wasn’t ready to face you, or the truth.”

He was quiet for so long she wasn’t sure he was listening. Oh, how wrong she was. He was having a full blown panic attack. The girl of his dreams was laying with him on his couch, confessing years of held back feelings while his heart tried to leap from his throat. He tried to swallow it down and looked back at her, attempting to be neutral.

“What about now?” He asked, almost breathless. She sat up slowly and he mirrored her, ready to take small steps.

“While I’m here for one horrible reason… it doesn’t have to stay that way.” She looked down at his chest and placed a hand on his flesh slowly, letting her fingers press the hair down and her palm over his heart. It was beating so incredibly fast for someone who’s face looked that even. They had learned well from their careers, it seemed.

“Aloy, ” he tried but couldn’t form a sentence, his hand coming over hers slowly. He swallowed and she looked to his throat, then back up to his stormy silver eyes. “I know we keep throwing words around but I need us to be… I need to be clear.” He paused and searched her eyes for any sign of hesitation. If anything, her hazel eyes were urging him on. “I have a lot of feelings for you. I’ve never stopped. It’s gotten worse the longer we’ve been apart and I’m pretty sure a call or text might have had my head spinning.” He sighed and looked down at their hands. “Maybe it was for the best…”

“No, it couldn’t have been.” She whispered and leaned towards him. “We stayed away from each other for stupid reasons… and I’m starting to feel better just talking to you like this… open and close.” Her breathing paused and her skin was on fire, her fingertips pressing into his skin just a fraction more. His heart skipped a beat under her hand and their eyes wouldn’t be able to leave each other’s if the house was burning down. She felt like it might be. “I came here for safety. I came here because I knew I could trust you. I don’t trust. I allow people to be around me, but never trust. Erend… I am so sorry for keeping us waiting.”

“We’re both guilty. I’m a coward too.” He took in a soft breath. “Not right now though. Not with you looking at me like that.” It made him weak, of course, but not a coward. More sure of himself and of them. Of her. She made a light but frustrated noise and her nails pressed even further.

“If you’re not a coward, what’s stopping you?” She wanted to smirk, to make this a small joke, but her feelings were burning through her veins. Her voice was like smoke, no longer strong and steady, but soft and full of heat.

He leaned toward her slowly. The hand that wasn’t holding her to his chest found it’s way around and under her hair, threading through it and pulling her into a kiss. It burned her skin, his fingers laced through her hair so softly that she sighed against his lips, spurring him on. He kissed her again with more heat, letting years of wanting and longing out and into her lips, her breath, her tongue. She wanted him too, tasting what she had been denying herself as her tongue ran over his. After a few moments they pulled apart, their breathing not as controlled as they had hopped. Their eyes searched for the answers to their questions, and every answer was a yes.

They came back together quickly like magnets, and she was up on her knees to get closer to him, her nails running through the curls on his chest. He made a low noise in the back of his throat that she felt on her tongue, her eyes fluttering closed at the sound. Her free hand came around the back of his neck and pressed him harder against her lips, biting his lip lightly. A small groan came out without thinking and he tightened his fingers in her hair, making her gasp and break their kiss.

“Sorry!” His eyes were wide as he recoiled his hand, scared he had hurt her or gone too fast. “I didn’t do that on purpose.”

“I didn’t say stop, Erend.” She looked at him and took her hand off his chest just to push his into her hair. “I probably won’t.”

He shivered and his eyes went dark, his fingers returning to their place.

“Aloy…” He sighed against her cheek, giving her a series of small kisses, moving from her cheek to her jaw and then just under her jawbone. “Promise?” He asked, his desperate voice conveying everything, laying him bare. He would be completely heartbroken if she rejected him now and while he would never force her into anything, he wanted to love her so damn badly.

“Yes.” 

He let out a shudder of relief and joy, the heat of his breath crawling on her neck as a precursor for his lips. He gripped her hair again at the back of her head, letting her gasp drown in a kiss this time. She retaliated and bit his lip harder, Erend just enjoying the pain. His other hand came to the small of her back, pulling her body to his with a crushing strength that should have hurt, or at least raise a red flag in her mind. 

Instead she pushed her hips towards him, getting even closer. His lips found their way to her neck and she let her breaths turn into something akin to relief. Like he was curing a burn, even though it was lighting her internal inferno. It was all he could have hoped for. She wasn’t weak or some little girl, her sounds were so much her own that he would dream of them for the rest of his life. Her whimper was not small or trembling, it was a command. 

He pulled on her skin with his teeth, sucking on a point where he felt her pulse racing. Her nails dug into his hair and she answered with a soft moan that he could feel vibrating against his lips. He held her hair out of the way and he made his way down her neck, slow and deliciously painful. She let out a huffed laugh at one point, her mouth wide and her face towards the ceiling. It was almost unbelievable how it felt. He was by no means the first man to touch her, but by god he was the first to read her mind. To give her body what it asked for before Aloy could form the thought. As if he had been with her countless times. As if he had known her this way, this intimately, for years.

Erend’s body demanded to know more of her as he stretched the collar of her shirt, kissing over her bra strap and pulling it back with his teeth just to let it snap against her. She let out another breathless laugh, coming down from the ceiling to kiss him, drinking him in as her hand pressed him to her. She tasted him again and she felt a tremor wisp down her spine. Her body knew his somehow, after all those years, all the hours of their bodies huddled or falling together into a mat, her body still knew his. It was then she realized, she had been waiting for him. Everything and everyone before this was amateur, enough for her to learn a few tricks and get off. This… this was like a soul coming back to its body.

She wanted to say something witty, she wanted him to joke and make her laugh, but no words were needed in this place they made for themselves, where whispers of flesh and cloth were the language. The further he pulled the collar the more of her skin he bruised, the shirt eventually making the high pitch strain of threads ripping. He paused and let it slack a bit, giving her shoulder a soft kiss. He would take the shirt off of her in a moment, or so he thought.

“Trash the shirt.”

It wasn’t a request to undress her. It wasn’t a moment to pull away and give her a breath, not by the way her hands were pressing into the muscles of his shoulders. No, it was a moment she wanted to see him show force. He could feel it. Her body spoke as clear as her voice, rolling against his. She looked to him and her eyes were as dark as his, impatient when he hadn’t acted.

He closed his eyes and kissed her neck, pulling his hands off of her body to come up at her collar, just under her throat. His teeth found her skin deeper and a groan slipped through her lips. He smiled against her skin and his hands did what they did best. He took the collar and pulled it between his hands until it ripped, his hands quickly ripping the line down her cleavage and to the bottom hem before pushing the ruined scrap of cotton off her. 

A moan came from her and she let her nails sink into each of his shoulder blades. Her want had never been this intense, and she knew the longer they dragged it out the worse it would be. She was resigned to this type of torture. Erend on the other hand was dying, trying to find a million ways for her to sound like that again. He wanted to make her burn like an unbound book, page by page, until the flames had all but consumed the entire story. His hands grabbed her waist and his thumbs enjoyed her flesh while his fingers dug into her muscle. She may be lean, but under that soft skin was a kind of strength he wanted to feel in action. 

She smiled and pinched his little beard to drag his chin down, her lips capturing his again. Every time she did it was both brand new, and felt like she had been doing this for decades. He smiled against her lips just before his tongue invaded her, her hand dropping from his chin to the back of his neck again. Their breathing was fast and shallow but neither wanted to come up for air. Breathing could be done later, when her skin wasn’t against his and the cracks and calluses on his hands didn’t hold her fast. Aloy slipped her lips away and kissed under his jaw, relishing in his stilled breath as her lips made it to his ear. Her teeth scraped against his earlobe and her hot breath covered the shell of his ear, sending a shiver down his side and a small sound in the back of his throat barely coming out.

He tilted his neck to give her any part of him she wanted while one of his hands reached down and easily undid the button to her jeans. She breathed a laugh into his ear and he smiled, her lips making their way down his exposed and stretched neck. It felt so good for her lips to be on him, he wanted to slow down and take his time - try and remember this. His body wanted the opposite. His hands quickly slid up her back and unhooked her bra, waiting for her to show any signs of hesitation. She pulled the bra off her and tossed it without a second thought, her lips moving to the curve of his neck. He traced the muscles of her shoulders, the feeling between his legs finally become painful as his pants grew tight. She wasn’t in any better state than he was, her pain was consuming her, getting worse every time her breasts slid against his bare skin and pearled. 

“Erend, please touch me.” She let out in a breath, his hands immediately coming around and between them to cup her breasts. Her hard nipples were against his palms and the soft feel of her skin was enough to make him moan again, his hands lifting and squeezing the weight between his fingers. Her lips came to his again and his tongue was instantly tasting her over and over. She moaned into him as his squeezes became rougher and her hips kept rolling, her pants falling just millimeters each time. 

Aloy dropped one hand between them and palmed him through his pants. _Holy shit._ It was all she could think when she felt the size of him. Even through jeans, he was thick and long… much longer than average. More than she had ever had before. When his hands kept groping her, she arched her back into him, loving his hands and eyes on her. She rubbed his length a few more times before he bucked into her hand. He made a small groan and stilled his hands.

“Don’t tease.” He sounded like he was asking, but it was in such a low voice Aloy wasn’t sure. Not until he took one of her nipples into his mouth and played with it, his tongue hot and lips sucking just hard enough to make her moan again. 

“I’m not.” Aloy reached both hands down and undid his jeans enough to slip her hand inside, feeling him through his boxers. He was rock hard and thick in her hand, the denim falling down as her hand moved. Even his cotton boxers were a painful barrier at this point, her hands moving and exploring his length as he let a shuddering breath out onto her chest, switching to the other nipple. 

She could have stayed like that - touching each other half naked for eons - but her body was feeling weaker by the second. She pulled down the band of his boxers without ceremony or pause, her hands on his bare shaft as soon as he was free, his bottoms hanging just off his hips. His skin was so soft over muscle hard as steel. She admired him through the valley of her chest when her hips pulled back, his dick much thicker than it felt. Her mouth watered at the sight and she couldn’t wait for that to be insider her, literally.

“It feels like a tease.” He said to her, his voice hard as he looked down at her. Her smile turned into pure mischief as her grip stilled near the head, her thumb swiping over the tip. He moaned loudly and she laughed, her voice shaking her sternum.

“That’s a tease.” She gave him what he wanted, sliding her hand over him, from tip to the very base, moving even lower to cup his softest and weakest point in her hand. He dropped her breasts and shoved a hand into her pants and panties, his finger lightly pressing her clit like one would stroke a letter on a keyboard. Her breath was sucked in instantly and her hand trembled. He was direct and steady, his pressure not nearly enough, not with how she badly wanted him. She tried to move her hips into his finger but it wasn’t any use, his other hand came around to hold her hips in place. Her eyes closed and her mouth hung open, Aloy’s hand resting in the middle of his shaft. 

“Can’t take what you dish out?” He whispered harshly next to her ear, her mouth opening wider in a gasp. She tried to move her hips again and his grip felt bruising. She let out a small, indignant noise and her eyes finally opened, her mouth capturing his again in a rough kiss that could possibly turn the tides for her, to let her take control. Her body was begging for him to move, her thighs trembling and her folds already dripping with anticipation. Her words however, refused to beg. She already had once and she wouldn’t again, at least she thought so until his hands left her body all together, coming up to cup her face and hold her angry jaw. He kissed her until her fury was at its peak, her hand moving quickly and almost fisted. It hurt so good he lost his breath, biting her lip and pulling away.

Their eyes matched and neither was willing to go down without a fight, not even knowing why it needed to be a fight. He reached down and quickly took off his jeans and boxers, barely having to move his knees off the couch before he was completely naked for her, her hand still pumping him with a vengeance. The sweat on his brow and neck started to bead and he grabbed her wrist, gripping hard enough to encircle it and drag it off him. He looked to her again and her eyes had never left his face. All of their unresolved feelings and brief hints of encounters in their memories were crashing into this one point of time, and he was sure either it would be his demise or she would. His other hand reached her waist and hooked his thumb under the waistband of both garments, dragging it down her hip to reveal her skin to him. She wasn’t giving in, rather helping the motion along as she took her other hand on the opposite hip and pulled her pants down with him, the scrunched cloth resting around her knees. 

She pulled her hand back from him slowly, and when he did the same she shoved off her pants, letting them land on the floor with his. Before she could come back to him, he put his finger back over her clit, the other held her shoulders in a strong, inescapable grip. God, how could his hands be so large but so soft on her? She rolled her lips and licked them, her hands coming up to hold him around the sides of his neck, her thumbs just under his ears and she pulled him into a trapping kiss, more or less the only thing she could do. She didn’t want to admit she was going down, but that was the reality. It was clearer every second his finger was on her, finally pressing harder against her clit and making her moan in a completely different choir than before.

“Erend…” She groaned against his lips, her entire body screaming for him. He grew even harder at her sounds and made a quick change. He took his hand off her briefly and grabbed her hips as he turned and sat on the couch, dragging her over him. He was so thankful when her body straddled him without a second thought. She looked down at him under her and she had a brief but insane thought that he had spiked her water… she felt under his control without feeling scared, and she knew then that she would gladly lose to him over and over again. The look in his eyes, the way he stared up at her like she was on a museum wall, it was enough to let him do anything he wanted. But she was above him, so in this case, she did what she wanted.

Aloy leaned down and kissed him like before, years of hunger threatening to starve her. He wouldn’t refuse her, now or ever. He was so lost in their kiss he didn’t feel her shifting her position or pushing him back. Before he could do anything, her hips were suddenly pushing back, her wet lips sliding along his length.

“Jesus…” He let out against her lips. “You’re trying to kill me.” He bucked his hips but there was nowhere for him to go, her angle was perfect for what she wanted; him to break.

“Not the worst way to go.” She smiled and bit the side of his neck.

“Not before I’m done with you.” He said in a slight growl, letting it reverberated down her neck and into her spine. She licked the skin she had just bruised, moving her hips again. He moaned out her name and her ego took a huge hit. It felt great to have… whatever this was. Power? Motivation? It didn’t need a label, it just needed to continue. She pushed her hips back again and suddenly his hands were on her hips, moving her back further until his head was just at her entrance. She gasped and tried to move out of his grip, to prolong his suffering, but he was too strong. He’d always been too strong.

His hands began to push her down and as much as he wanted to bottom out in one hard thrust, he also wanted her to squirm. He was twisted, he knew that, but anything that gave him a bit of control made him feel on top of the world. The moment he felt how hot and wet she already was, he knew this would be easier said than done.

Aloy tried to push down, wanting all of him inside her. She didn’t care if it might hurt, anything would be better than this torture. This wasn’t what she wanted at all, yet her body was screaming for him to keep going as is. It wasn’t even inch by inch, it was worse. His pace was centimeter by centimeter, slowly thrusting up just a fraction more each time and each thrust was a slow push and pull of his own hips as he held hers captive. She was going out of her mind wanting him inside her, her breaths coming out in pants against his neck. 

He knew this moment, this night, would enter his mind for years to come and he wanted to make it as slow as possible to savor every detail. Her insides were so goddamn tight you would think she’d never done this before, but her struggling hips and moans said otherwise. He almost let go once about halfway in, her hips trying so hard to come down onto his. As amazing as that would be, he wanted to torture her more, and himself too. He groaned and relented to a different pace, a new inch each thrust, but his thrusts became slower and less predictable. Each one now took her breath away, his moans mixing with her gasps in the air around them.

“Erend, I swear to god if you don’t fucking-”

He pulled her down onto him as hard as he could, letting both of them have what they wanted. He couldn’t deal with his name on her lips like that. Not when he was trying to be slow. The moan she let out could have counted as a scream and he groaned at the sound, his head falling back onto the couch as he bottomed out with her on top. It was a feeling he’d always dreamed of but never in his life would he have imagined anything that felt this good. 

“Sorry, did you want to finish that sentence?” He heard himself ask with a gravel texture attached to his voice. She just ground down onto him and arched her back, her eyes never leaving his. He was dizzy, questioning how could he possibly get deeper yet the proof was right in his lap, swallowing him deeper with each movement. She grabbed the couch on either side of his head and leaned down to his lips.

“I did.. But now I think I’ll just take what I want.” She smiled against his lips and she felt him shiver this time. Anticipation or intimidation? She wasn’t sure. Either way was a win. She moved her hips again as she leaned forward, pressing her chest to his and giving him the best angle he’d ever experienced in his life. He thrust up into her and her sultry threat turned into another gasp as he licked her throat and dug his blunt nails into her skin.

“Pretty sure I’ll give you whatever you need.” He thrust up harder and she moaned music to him. “And whatever _I_ need.” He couldn’t talk anymore or take her teases, starting a slow but scorching rhythm. She watched him give into what he wanted most and she couldn’t hold back a second longer. She met him at the same slow pace, easing herself toward a bliss so bright it might blind her. This close so fast was rare for her, it had to be him. Erend. Inside of her with her name and taste on his tongue. In a moment where she lost herself, he pulled back and she slammed down onto him as hard as possible, making both of them moan so loud the neighbors might worry. The game was over instantly when he weaved fingers though her hair and gripped her so hard it hurt.

“Bedroom?” He asked with whatever willpower he had left.

“Here.” She responded as she circled her hips again, his fingers growing tighter in her hair. “Fuck me right here.” 

Erend wasn’t about to stop. He took his free hand and gripped her ass while going back to their previous tandem. He felt her shudder and he was sure his head would roll off his body any second. His hips moved faster and Aloy gave the most pleased sound while biting down on her lip. Her eyes were closed, but he had the best show. Her breasts on him, her face in pure ecstasy though not near finished, and his hand lost to the back of her neck. He wanted this to be what he remembered on his deathbed. He released her hair just to grab both of her hips to keep their timing right, knowing he would go faster and harder. When his new rhythm picked up, his head hit the back of her heat, the length giving him the easy access to the bundle of nerves most hidden. She mentally snapped. Aloy looked down at him with burning eyes.

“ _Fuck_ , right there.” It was a demand. Again, he would do anything for her, but this was for himself too. Before he gave her what she wanted, he took a nipple into his mouth and gave it a tender suck and kiss, the exact opposite of the harsh pull he did on her hips. When they collided, both of them groaned in the same key and Aloy began to move her hips faster than he could keep up with. At some point his lips left her chest. When he opened his eyes again, she was leaning away from the couch and pushing her hips at an upward angle. He could feel her getting impossibly tighter as time went on, driving into her harder and hitting that sweet spot over and over. It was a sight to memorize and the moment he did, he stilled her hips. She looked down at him, both of them out of breath bit neither wanting to stop. Erend said nothing but pushed her towards the armrest of the couch, her hands instinctively catching herself. She looked behind her shoulder ready to release a flurry of complaints until she watched him lineup her hips with his. _Fuck, yes, amazing idea._ Her brain wasn’t quite working properly, not with the way he was handling her like she weighed nothing. And she loved it.

He hated to pull out of her when he had, but he knew this would be so much more satisfying for both of them. He caught her eye when she looked back and he was so lost in his own twisted form of torture he couldn’t smile back. After he had pushed her forward more and had her bent perfectly, he anchored his left hand on her hips while the right reached under to play with her clit. The moment he touched her and swiped across her hard clit, she made the most submissive whine that’s ever escaped her throat and she didn’t regret it at all since more pleasure followed. He let his dick rest on her ass while he played with her, never taking his eyes off hers. It was amazing to watch the strength run out of her face only to be quickly replaced with such a powerful want that he would bow to it’s reign. The faster he moved his two fingers in that same motion, the louder she got and the less control over her hips he had. Yes, Erend was strong, but physical strength and willpower are two different things. One he had run out of. He smacked her ass hard and loud, hearing her yelp giving him a shiver. 

Erend pulled his right hand back and pushed the small of her back down to angle her up. She complied easily, waiting for him… she even almost begged again. He took himself in his hand and after a few pumps he skimmed her dripping lips with the head, making sure to pass over her clit just for that extra jolt. Neither of them were new to this game, but they had quickly found their perfect opponents. When her thighs started to tremble he gave in. He pushed the tip into her entrance as she let out a slow, prolonged moan that one could mistake for pain. He groaned as he pushed further, the pleasure at this angle was always good, but with her? No human words could describe it. He dug his fingers into each of her cheeks before pushing all the way in, letting himself enjoy being engulfed by her. 

“Holy shit Erend,” she let spill out. “I want to come like this, you’re so big-” she was cut off by another moan and she bit the back of her hand, trying not to sound desperate and failing.

“I’ll give you…” He pulled back and slammed in hard, staying there with a moan of his own. “What we both want, you seem to like what I like.” All she could do was nod because yes, of course she loved rough sex. It was hard to come by because she didn’t trust anyone. But she trusted him, and he knew how to make pain feel good. Using the same effort, he started a quick but hard rhythm that he couldn’t have achieved before, his mind going blank every time he looked down at her. She wasn’t holding her voice back anymore, if anything she was letting go, some of them sounding like strangled screams. He quivered against her when her voice would crack, feeling his end come faster than he had hopped. He reached down with his right hand and rubbed her clit to help her come faster, her mouth falling open in a silent scream as her head fell to the side. When he felt her about to go, he leaned over her and kissed her neck. The salt of her skin, the heat of her breath, the strain in her voice… it was all about to combine. He bit the skin at her neck and smacked her ass once as hard as he could, hearing her yelp before he took the rhythm they hand and tripled it.

The moment he went faster and harder, Aloy started to come undone. She gripped the arm of the couch like it was a safety net and didn’t dare let go.

“Look at me.”

She turned her eyes back to him as her orgasm was about to peak, barely able to control the small movement of her neck that it took. “I’m _so close_ , _please_...” Aloy cried out to him, failing and begging him, just one more time.

“FUCK!” He took in her perfect blissed face and no longer cared about any type of rhythm, just pounding into her from behind as hard and as fast as his body would let him. Just as she reached her peak, he reached his with a growl that shook her to her core, her spasms gripping him tightly while he spilled inside her. They both had deep gasps and untimely thrusts for each other before they were done, his rough side quickly melting away as he leaned down to kiss her neck softly. She smiled and hummed, turning her head to kiss him while he was still inside her. He leaned over her and balanced himself with one arm next to her on the armrest, the other rubbing her back as he left small kisses that led nowhere. She bit her lip and watched him, completely and entirely devoted to worshiping her body after abusing it. When he was soft he pulled out and tilted her hips to the side, silently asking her to lie down on her back. Aloy did and smiled up at him.

“If only you could see how beautiful you are right now…” He said with a love sick grin before leaning down and giving her a long and tender kiss. She was more than happy to return it, her hands running through his hair and over the muscles on his shoulders. They broke apart slowly and stared into each other’s eyes, so happy to have this moment.

“You… I can’t believe...” She smiled again, trying to form sentences was very difficult right now. He just laughed in the same low tone and gave her an amused smirk. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they were comfortable for a bit, their foreheads resting against each other and lips slipping into sloppy, soft kisses here and there. When her brain felt partially reformed, she couldn’t hold in her feelings.

“Erend, I love you.” She pulled back and opened her eyes, watching for his reaction. “I want to be with you. Publicly or off into the woods, I’m yours. If you want me that way.” She always had to add an addendum. He smiled and shook his head. 

“I just said I do. I’ve wanted you from the very start, Aloy. I’m not gonna walk away from this.” He paused and smirked at her. “Especially now I know what I was missing out on.” He quirked an eyebrow up at her and she giggled like a young teenager, pushing his face away only for her palm to receive a kiss. She watched him kiss her hand and then down her arm, his lips giving both sides of her neck feather light apologies, and then down to her chest. He didn’t tease, just kissed her skin to let her know she was safe and loved. Aloy ran her hands through his hair and he smiled against her skin, his hand coming under her to softly rub the side of her ass he had hit quite hard. He tried to smooth out the heat he could feel with his hand, knowing without a doubt that her ass was red from him. She let out another hum, loving the way he made her feel. He kissed down the valley between her breasts and back up to her, giving each cheek several before returning to her lips. She could definitely get used to this. 

He pulled back and smiled down at her.

“I know I didn’t say it, but it’s pretty obvious.” He paused and took both of her hands in his to lace their fingers together. “I love you too.”

She couldn’t help the smile that split her face and the bubble she felt in her chest. This man… he was everything. He was strong, handsome, goofy, tender, and absolutely devoted to her. 

“I think I might actually be able to sleep now.” She said and he laughed under his breath. 

“I’d hope so, it’s almost 6 in the morning.”

“What?” She turned her head to look for a clock and sure enough, just ten minutes ‘till, the sky outside barely glowing lavender. “Wow…”

“Don’t worry, I don’t have any plans today.” He pulled her up and with a bit of adjusting he settled her in his lap sideways instead of straddling him. She leaned her body against him and his arms held her close. 

“I can’t think of a better way to waste a day than to spend it with you…” She looked down at him and his face was glowing with delight. “Even if we’re just sleeping and cuddling all day.”

“Sounds perfect.” He said softly. She agreed and leaned down to kiss his swollen lips, her hand coming up to gently stroke his cheek.

When the languid kisses faded their eyes held each other, though there wasn’t heat this time. Only undying trust and love for each other. He nudged her and she stood slowly as he held her steady. Oh, she ached, but in the best way. They slowly made their way to his room and into his bed, Erend pulling the covers over them. 

“Oh, I left my phone out there.” She complained and he laughed into her hair. He had too.

“Who cares? They can fuck off for one single day. Let’s have a runaway day today and answer to no one.” He paused and kissed her neck. “Except each other.” His hand caressed her whole body, from calf to shoulder, making sure to let his fingers run over her ass softly as an apology. He kissed her neck again and her hum started to turn into something a little stronger.

“You’re getting me worked up again.” She warned with a grin. He smiled against her skin and pulled his lips off her. 

“I just wanted to make sure… It’s just that, after what you went through, and then what you let me do… I want to make sure you’re happy and that you know I would never in a million years abuse your trust.” She turned a bit to look at him, his eyes looking slightly scared. She rolled her eyes and turned her body towards his.

“I don’t get to have fun like that because I can’t trust that the other person will stop if it gets to be too much.” She kissed him softly on the lips and sighed with contentment. “But I trust you. I love you. And if that was just the beginning, I look forward to more.”

Erend was speechless for a moment and then smiled wide.

“Have I ever told you how incredible you are?”

She chuckled and curled into his body, ready for sleep.

“You can show me after we both get some rest. I’m not used to your size, but I’m not complaining either.”

“Maybe now that we’re not pent up, I can show you how much I love you, and take hours to do it.” She made a chuckle on the sexier side of the spectrum and nodded. He curled his arm around her and let her head rest on his chest. She could hear his strong and steady heart beneath the skin, pulling her down with each thump.

 _Maybe a few days off the grid…_ she let herself think as she slipped into the best sleep she’d had in years.

**Author's Note:**

> Erend's suit - https://tinyurl.com/v4bp38s  
> Aloy's dress - https://tinyurl.com/vj4cse2  
> Color of dress - https://tinyurl.com/sp3lnkm
> 
> Aftercare is so GD important yall. 
> 
> So this is my longest one shot ever. And the longest before that was also for HZD. Guess what I love right now? :D Please leave a comment with your kudo! I need to know what you liked or disliked so I can grow as a writer.


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